Criminal Defense Archives

By Spatz Law Firm, PL of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Tuesday, October 9, 2018.

It doesn't happen often, but it happens more than it should - a wrongful arrest due to mistakes made during a police report. When it happened to Florida man, Adam Thornton, it changed his life completely.

By Spatz Law Firm, PL of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

In the age of social media, we all should be cautious about what we are posting online. Not only can an inappropriate post get you in trouble with friends, family, or your partner, but certain types of posts on social media may even get you in trouble with law enforcement.

By Spatz Law Firm, PL of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.

With technological advances placing everyone's data within easy reach, privacy concerns are undoubtedly high on the list of worries of many individuals. This is especially the case when considering location data for criminal cases. If someone is involved with a crime, how easy is it for police to access a phone that can provide them with the location information of the accused, perhaps placing them at or near the scene of a crime?

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, March 23, 2018.

A Florida state appellate court will soon decide whether to appeal a guilty conviction of a man who was identified by police using a controversial police surveillance program. The controversial facial recognition program was used by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to find a man who was accused of selling drugs. Now, the First District Court of Appeals is set to break new legal ground in deciding if police are allowed to use facial software to identify suspects in crimes without notifying the defense first.

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, March 15, 2018.

If you've ever watched a Hollywood crime show, you've probably heard the phrase, "You have the right to remain silent" when a suspect is arrested. These seven words usually come shortly after the phrase, "You are under arrest." But do you know exactly what it means when a law enforcement officer makes this particular statement, and are you aware of your rights as a crime suspect under the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights?

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, March 1, 2018.

When a death row inmate is executed, there is an expectation and legal requirement that the individual has a rational understanding that he or she is about to be executed and why he or she is facing execution. Most inmates remember their crime, and they are able to answer in the affirmative that they understand the reason for their punishment. However, one Alabama man is proving to be an exception to this understanding. Now, his lawyers argue that because he suffers from dementia, and does not remember his crime over 30 years ago, that he is unfit for execution. The U.S. Supreme Court must now decide if Vernon Madison will die by lethal injection.

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.

The decision to allow police officers to use the state's "stand your ground" law as a defense in certain situations may be heading to the Florida Supreme Court. The law, originally enacted in 2005, was created as a way to allow residents to defend themselves with deadly force without fear of arrest or trial. Since its inception, the law has remained controversial, and it is even more so when law enforcement uses it as a defense in cases when deadly force is used.

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

It's looking like 2017 was a year when crime rates dipped in the U.S. This is the preliminary news coming in from the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University's School of Law. The reports indicate good news for those of us who live in areas where crime is down, as the trend is a reversal from the previous few years where crime rates were rising.

On behalf of Spatz Law Firm, PL posted in Criminal Defense on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.

The Florida Supreme Court may have to decide in the near future whether a car is considered a deadly weapon when used to harm or kill someone in the state of Florida. The lower appellate courts in the state are divided on this issue, forcing the state's Supreme Court to become the deciding factor.

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